Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Foxy Time’

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Foxy Time’, having blushed orange red quills with golden yellow spoon tip anemone flowers. The plants have a tidy compact habit with good foliage.

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

Variety denomination: The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is‘Foxy Time’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, andreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Foxy Time’.

‘Foxy Time’, identified as 22824-0, originated from a cross made in acontrolled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom.

The female parent of the new variety is ‘21718-0’ an undistributed,unpatented seedling, and the male parent is ‘22033-0’ an undistributed,unpatented seedling.

The new variety ‘Foxy Time’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetativecuttings in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and thedistinguishing characteristics are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Foxy Time’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having goldenyellow spoon tip with blushed orange red quill anemone flowers.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Foxy Time’ are dissimilar tothe female parent ‘21718-0’ in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘FoxyTime’ differed from plants of the female parent ‘21718-0’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Foxy Time’ produces golden yellow spoon        tipped anemone flowers whereas the female parent ‘21718-0’        produces yellow anemone flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Foxy Time’ have larger and taller        inflorescence than plants of the female parent ‘21718-0’.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Foxy Time’ have shorter response        time than plants of the female parent ‘21718-0’.

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Foxy Time’ are dissimilar tothe male parent ‘22033-0’ in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘FoxyTime’ compared with plants of the male parent ‘22033-0’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Foxy Time’ produces golden yellow spoon tip        anemone flowers whereas the male parent ‘22033-0’ produces red        single spoon flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Foxy Time’ are similar size        inflorescence to the plants of the male parent ‘22033-0’.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Foxy Time’ have shorter response        time than plants of the male parent ‘22033-0’.

Comparison with Graceland Honey

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Foxy Time’ are dissimilar toplants of the variety ‘Graceland Honey’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,121, inplant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester,West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of thenew Chrysanthemum variety ‘Foxy Time’ differed from plants of ‘GracelandHoney’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Foxy Time’ produces golden yellow anemone        flowers whereas ‘Graceland Honey’ produces orange—bronze anemone        flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Foxy Time’ have smaller and        shorter inflorescence than plants of ‘Graceland Honey’.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Foxy Time’ have shorter response        time than plants of ‘Graceland Honey’.    -   4. Plants of the new variety ‘Foxy Time’ produce anemone flowers        with quill rays and spoon tips whereas ‘Graceland Honey’        produces anemone flowers with elongated oblong shaped rays.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Foxy Time’ are shown in the accompanying digital photograph.The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of thiskind of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘Foxy Time’ grown in apot. The plant shown in the illustration and described below is 56 daysfrom the onset of Short Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Foxy Time’is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex, UnitedKingdom, in the month of March. The cultivar has not been observed underall possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in the environment such as temperature,length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. Thecommercial classification of the new variety is a Pot Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 18° C. at night and about 24° C. to 25° C.during the day under assimilated light conditions of about 2500 lux. Theplants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such as 3-4applications of B9 with an average dosage of about 2 gram per liter. Toproduce a commercial product, the plants may be pinched once with thecenter bud removed. The typical container size for commercial growth is1 liter. It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety isabout 28 days with a response time of about 7½ weeks. The new variety issuitable for growth in a temperature range of about 15° C. to 25° C.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as potChrysanthemum. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety,color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.C.C.) by comparison to the new Chrysanthemum variety itselfand may differ from the colors shown in the accompanying photograph.

Plant

-   Plant Type: Pot.-   Habit: Upright and free branching.-   Height (cm): 15.-   Width (cm): 24.-   Stem:    -   -   Length (cm).—4.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.4.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—138B.-   Branching Characteristics: Upright and free branching.-   Lateral Branches:    -   -   Length (cm).—9.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.-   Number of Breaks from Pinch: 5.-   Response Time: 52 days.-   Vigor: Medium.-   Shelf Life: 28 days.-   Life of blooms: 28 days.-   Disease (Susceptibility/Resistance observed): None observed to date.-   Pest (Susceptibility/Resistance observed): None observed to date.-   Drought and temperature (Susceptibility/Resistance observed): None    observed to date.-   Growth Retardant Type and Treatment: 3 applications of about 2    gm/liter B9 @ 2, 21 and 28 days after sticking unrooted cuttings.    The plants were grown for two weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours    of light) and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of    dark).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings.        -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.        -   Rooting habit.—After 7 Long Days, the first roots emerge and            form root primordia. After 14 Long Days, a complete root            system is developed.

Foliage

-   Number of Leaves per Lateral Branch: 9.-   Compound or Single: Single.-   Arrangement of Leaves: Alternate.    -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed.        -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 5 Length (cm): 8.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Attachment.—Petioled.        -   Aspect.—Slightly undulating.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.        -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly pubescent. Bottom:            Pubescent.-   Petiole.    -   -   Color.—Near 137C.        -   Length (cm).—1.8.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.3.        -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.-   Venation: net, prominent lateral and mid-veins at underside.    -   -   Color.—Upper side: slightly lighter than 138B under side:            138B.-   Color:    -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—138A; under side: 139C.        -   Young leaf, upper side.—137A; under side: 139C.

Flower

-   Flower appearance: Matte.-   Flower type: Anemone.-   Flower form: Slightly cupped.-   Flower shape: Circular.-   Flowering habit: Domed.-   Number of blossoms per branch: 4.-   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December.-   Inflorescence form: Cyme.    -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—1.8.        -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—6.        -   Anemone center diameter (cm).—2.5.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Number.—24.        -   Color.—137D.        -   Length (cm).—0.5 to 0.8.        -   Width (cm).—0.1 to 0.3.        -   Texture/appearance.—Pubescent.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length (cm).—9.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.        -   Angle from stem (degrees).—40.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Surface.—Slightly Pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—Medium.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—Terminal (cm): 3.5 lateral (cm): 4.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Angle from the stem (degrees).—40.        -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—Medium.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Form/shape.—Cylindrical with spoon tips.        -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.        -   Number per flower.—52.-   Quill:    -   -   Length (cm).—3 Width (cm): 0.4 tapers to 0.1.-   Spoon:    -   -   Length (cm).—0.3 to 1.2 Width (cm): 0.4 to 0.7.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Tapered.        -   Margin.—Entire.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Form/shape.—Cylindric.        -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.        -   Number per flower.—More than 200.        -   Length (cm).—1.3; Width (cm): 0.2.        -   Diameter of disc (cm).—3.2.-   Fragrance : None-   Flower Bud (at onset of color):    -   -   Length (cm).—1.        -   Diameter (cm).—1.        -   Form/shape.—Round.-   General flower color:    -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: Spoon tips : 12A.            Tube: 13C and 34C. Mature: Spoon tips : 12A. Tube: 13C and            34C. Older/Fading: Spoon tips : 12A. Tube: 13C and 34C.        -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: Spoon tip and tube:            45C. Mature: 45C. Older/Fading: 45D.        -   3. Ray florets, tube, outer side.—13C.        -   4. Ray florets, tube, inner side.—12A.        -   5. Disc florets.—Immature: 12A , 42B, and a hint of 150B.            Mature: 12A , 42B, and a hint of 150B. Older/Fading: 12A and            42B.        -   6. Bud (at onset of color).—46A.-   Flower progression with age: There is no difference in flower form    but there is a slight colour change with age.

Reproductive Organs

-   Gynoecium present on Ray and Disc florets:-   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—52.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—Forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.5.-   Disc florets per individual flower: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—More than 200.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—Forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.5.-   Androecium present on Disc florets: Staminate.    -   -   Stamen number.—200 approx.        -   Anther shape.—Thread.        -   Anther color.—12A.        -   Pollen color.—14A.        -   Pollen quantity.—Plenty.-   Fruit and Seeds: None observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.